1. Prepare Oven and Pie Plate:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Grease a 9-inch pie plate thoroughly with butter or coconut oil. Set aside.

2. Blend the Cottage Cheese Base:

• In the container of your blender or food processor, add the cottage cheese, vanilla extract, lemon juice, salt, almond extract, cornstarch, and your chosen sweetener (sugar, erythritol, or stevia).
• Secure the lid. Blend on medium-high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. If using a blender with a tamper tool, use it to push the mixture down towards the blades. This critical step might take 30-45 seconds or longer depending on your appliance. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. Ensure absolutely no curds remain.

3. Whisk in Eggs:

• Transfer the smooth blended cottage cheese mixture into a separate mixing bowl.
• Using a hand whisk (or the whisk attachment on a stand mixer on low speed), whisk in the eggs one at a time. Mix just until each egg is combined into the batter. Do not over-whisk at this stage, as incorporating too much air can affect the final texture.

4. Pour into Pie Plate:

• Pour the final mixture into the prepared greased pie plate. Smooth the top gently if needed.

5. Bake:

• Place the pie plate on the center rack of the preheated oven.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the edge (about 1 inch or 2 cm from the side) comes out clean.
• The top of the cake should be nicely browned, and the sides should look puffed up. The very center might still have a slight jiggle when gently nudged – this is okay, it will continue to set as it cools.

6. Cool and Chill Completely:

• Let the cake cool completely in the pie plate on a wire rack at room temperature for about 1 hour. It is not meant to be unmolded.
• Once at room temperature, cover the pie plate loosely with plastic wrap (this helps prevent the top from drying out or cracking further).
• Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3 hours, until thoroughly chilled and fully set. Chilling is essential for the best texture and easy slicing.

7. Serve:

• The next day (or after sufficient chilling), slice the cold Cottage Cheese Cake directly from the pie plate.
• Serve slices with a drizzle of berry coulis and/or extra fresh berries.

8. Store Leftovers:

• Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The recipe notes that some liquid might release at the bottom; placing leftovers on absorbent paper inside the container can help manage this.